Suction cleaner



March 5, 1935. c. H. TAYLOR sUcTIoN CLEANER Filed oct. 9, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l WM a 7 2 2 A ATTO R N EY March 5, 1935. c. H. TAYLOR SUGTION CLEANER Filed Oct. 9. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2:. I MYI-L A INVENTOR 671 arles bf Taylor March 5, 1935. Q TAYLOR 1,993,229

SUCTION CLEANER Filed 0G13. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 EEN. I l l INVENTOR l Charles H T9101" Patented Mar. s, i935 Y 1,993,229l .i

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

sUcrioN CLEANER Charles H. Taylor, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application Dctober 9, 1933, Serial No. 692,738

15 Clliml. (Cl. 15-6) The present invention relates to suction cleancleaner nozzle constructed in accordance with a ers in general and particularly to a new and imsecond embodiment of the invention; proved rotary agitator for a suction cleaner. Figure 6 is a partial top view of the end of the More specifically the invention comprises the procleaner nozzle used with a second preferred emvision of a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner bodiment of the present invention; 5

which is provided with positively actuated surface- Figure 7 is a sectionupon the line 7-7 through contacting agitating elements for the purpose of the cleaner nozzle of Figure 5 Showing the second increasing their cleaning effectiveness. Preferred embodiment of the invention;

It is an object of the present invention to pro- Figure 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Fig- 10 vide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is a ure 7; 10

further object to provide a new and improved ro- Figure 9 is a sectionupon the line 9-9 of Figtary agitator for a suction cleaner. Still another ure 7; object is the provision of a rotary agitator for a Figure 10 is a section through the agitator upon suction cleaner which includes surface-contacting the line 10--10 of Figure 7;

is agitating elements which are positively actuated Figure 11 is a view in perspective of one of the 15 relative to the body of the agitator. A stili furpositively actuated beating elements removed ther object is the provision, in a suction cleaner from the agitator;

rotary agitator, of surface-contacting agitating Figure 12 is apartal cross-Section through 8- elements which are provided with an independent Suction Cleaner nozzle, upon the line 12--12 of downward movement at the time of surface con- Figure 13, showing o third Preferred embodiment 20 tact for the purpose of imparting a greater force of the invention in Which the agitator functions to the covering undergoing cleaning. Another es the front noZZle lip; object is the provision of rigid beating elements Figure 13 is a bottom view of the construction in a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner which shoWn in Figure 12;

are movable radially in a definite sequence in the Figure 14 is e partiel longitudinal cross section 25 operation of the cleaner. still another object is through the agitator constructed in accordance the provision of a rotary agitator which is` pro- With the third embodiment of the invention; vided with a surface-contacting brush which Figure 15 is a section upon the line 15-15 of moves radially in a certain sequence in the cleaner Figure 13 operation. A further object is the provision of an Figure 16 is o- VieW in perspective of the Spring- 30 improved rotary agitator for a suction cleaner holding element for the agitator brushes used in which is provided with surface-contacting agitatthe embodiment shoWn in Figures 12 to 17, ining elements which move radially relative to the Clusive; body of the agitator, the agitator being adapted Figure 17 is e VieW in perspective of the brush to function as a lip of the cleaner nozzle. 'I'hese Spring- 35 and other more specific objects will appear upon Study of suction cleaner operation has disreading the foiiowing specincation and ciaims closed that the amount of embedded foreign and upon considering therewith the attached metter removed from e Surface covering varies drawings to which they relate. t with the force of the beating blow delivered to In the drawings, in which preferred embodi.. the covering. Greater beating force is obtained 40 ments of the present invention are disclosed: through the use of rigid-contacting elements Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a than by the use 0f brushes, and the force demodern suction cleaner with an agitator conlivered by these rigid elements is also increased structed in accordance with the present invenby raising the speed 0f rotation of the agitator 45 tion embodied therein; onwhich they are positioned. The speed of ro- Figure 2is a side elevation of an agitator contation of the suction cleaner agitator is limited, structed in accordance with the present invenhowever, by certein mechanical factors includtion; ing pulley ratios, belt life and strength, and

Figure 3 is also a side view of the agitator with other elements. In an agitator constructed in certain parts broken away showing the interior accordance with the present invention it is mechanism thereof; possible to increase the force of the blow de- Figure 4 is a cross section upon the line 4-4 oi.' livered to the surface-covering undergoing clean- Figure 3; ing without increasing the rotational speed of l5 Figure 5 is an end view of the interior of the the agitator. This has been accomplished in 55 suction-creating fan B carried by the lower end' a new and novel manner as will be hereinafter Referring now to-the drawings and to 'Figure 1 in particular,l a suction cleaner with agitator :constructed in accordance with this invention is disclod. 'I'he suction cleaner is seen to'comprise a nozzle 1 having surface-contacting lips 2 and 3.l The nozzle is interiorly connected to the fan chamber 4 by means of the airpassageway -5 and within the chamber is positioned a of the motor shaft 7 which is itself formed as a pulley 8 at its extremity. An exhaust outlet `9 is connected to the fan chamber 4 and opens Figure 1 and indicated by the reference characters 13 and 14. Height-adjusting means 15 are connected to the rear wheels which enable those wheels to be raised and lowered relative to the body of thecleaner for the purpose of raising and lowering the nozzle lips 2 and 3. A pivoted handle 18 is connected to the cleaner body and serves as means by which the operator can exert a propelling force, the incoming current leads 17, 17 extending along the handle to the motor casing l2.I

Referring now to4 Figures 1 to 4 in particular, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. vThe agitator is seen tn comprise a body 20 which is elongated and cylindrical and which is provided substantially mid-way of its length with a portion of reduced diameter 2l which functions as a pulley to lreceive the driving belt 22. The body 20 is rotatably supported upon the through supporting shaft 23, at least one end of which is made angular in cross section to prevent the shaft rotating. An end cup 24 at each end of the body seats that member upon'a bearing 25 which is carried by the shaft while astationary thread-guard member 26 carried by the shaft overlies the ends of the body to prevent the accumulation of hair, string and similar foreign matter about the bearing.

Removable brushes 27, 27 are seated in elongated channels or seats 28, 28 in the agitator body, each brush being removably seated with the ends of its rigid back extended under the ends of the seat, a. spring 29 in the bottom of the brush seat cooperating to hold the brush in that position.

Spaced circumferentially and longitudinally in the body 20 are a. series of radial channels or seats 30, 30 which areopen at their bottom and face the supporting shaft. Within each seat 30 is a beater element 31 of a type commonly known as a rigid positive beating element. Element 3l 4is adapted to slide radially within its seat 30 relative to the agitator body, the head of the element being shouldered as at 32, 32 to limit its inward displacement under the force exerted -by a. coil spring 33 which is positioned within the seat 30 and contacts an inner side of thel member 31 and a transversely extending plate member 34 carried by the seat.

y In the operation of the cleaner constructed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the rotation of the cleaner motor functions to create a reduced pressure within the nozzle 1 and to lift the surfacejcovering undergoing cleaning into the contact with the .lips 2 and 3.

4 The agitator being rotated under the force transmitted by the driving belt 22 rotatesin contact with the surface covering land the brushes 27, 27 perform the usual brushing action. Each positive beating element 3l is held in its innermost radialposition by its coil spring 33, the limiting position being that in which the shoulders 32, 32 contact the top of the element seat. The agitator is mounted in the cleaner nozzle with the shaft so positioned that the cam face which is formed thereon adjacent'the seats 30 is arranged with itsmajor axis pointing vertically, or as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. With the shaft so positioned upon the rotation of the agitator body relative thereto, the inner sides of the beater elements contact the sides of the stationary cam as they are rotated toward and ap proach their surface-contacting positions. As Y the blow delivered by each beater element to 4 the covering is seen to beincreased by its radial speed, which is towards the surface covering at the time of contact. After each beater element passes its lowermost point it is moved radially yinward by its spring 33, the cam being shaped to permit such movement. v Referring now to'Figures 5 toll, inclusive, a. second preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In this embodiment the improved cleaning action of the agitator is. further increased by the provision of means which direct cleaning air to the point of surface contact at the exact time of that contact. This desired result is obtained by interiorly connecting the agitator with the exterior atmosphere. To accomplish this result the end wall of the nozzle is apertured as at 35, the stationary thread-guard 26 and the agitator end cup 24 being similarly apertured at 36 and 37, respectively. Spaced interfltting circular anges upon the thread guard and the end cup form a labyrinth 38 which functions to substantially eliminate the passage of air around each end of the agitator and directly into the nozzle. In the present embodiment each end of the supporting shaft 23 is carried in a plate 39 which is itself seated within an open bottom recess formed in the interior of the nozzle end wall, screws 40,. 40 removably holding the plate in place. Rotation of the agitator shaft is prevented as one of its ends isrectangular and seats within a rectangular opening in the end plate.

The beater elements 31, 31 etc. and their seats 30, 30 etc. are also modified in the present construction in that the seats are'provided with side openings 4l, 41 and in that the beater elements are provided with transverse openings 42, 42 so that the interior of the beater element is itself open to the interior of the agitator and so to atmosphere. The aperture 42 in the beater element is so located that with the beater element positioned in its lowermost position, or that shown in Figure l0 of the drawings, air escapes from the' agitator body through the beater element tothe exact point of surface contact. With a beater element in its inner radial position the opening 42 is within the element seat and substantially 'no air passes into the nozzle. As in the previous embodiment the beater elements are urged radially inward by coil springs and are forced radially outward in certain angular positions by the cam surface of the supporting shaft.

Referring now to Figures' 12 to 1'7, inclusive, a

third preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in which the agitator construction is so modified-that it is capable of functioning as a lip of the nozzle which rotates in substantially sealed relationship with the adjacentstationary nozzle wall. This desirable relationship results inthe cleaning air entering the nozzle passing between the agitator and its agitating elements and the surface covering. 'This relationship is made possible by providing an element-actuating cam which moves the beating element beyond the normal radial circumference of the agitator body during a limited angle of rotation only, both the rigid beating element and the flexible brush element being radially movable. Y

In this embodiment the agitator body and the actuated beating elements are constructed substantially in the manner shown in the embodiment found in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. The supporting shaft 23 is non-rotatably supported in the present embodiment within a pivoted frame member 45 and is so positioned relative. to the cleaner nozzle that it extends in substantially sealed relationship with the front wall thereof, a flexible agitator-contacting seal member 46 being provided which substantially prevents the passage of air between the agitator and.the front nozzle wall. There is, in this embodiment of the invention, no stationary front nozzle lip, the rear nozzle lip 2 being positioned substantially as shown in the rst embodiment. The beating elements 31, 31 etc. are mounted to move radially in their seats 30, 30 etc., as in the first embodiment, the cam formed on the supporting shaft 23 being so shaped that the radial movement of each element beyond the normal surface of the agitator body does not commence until that element has moved beyond the stationary front nozzle wall, the direction of rotation being as indicated by the arrow in Figure 15.

The brush 27 and its seat 28 in the agitator are both of modified construction in the present embodiment, the brush being adapted to slide radially in its seat in the manner of the rigid beating element, instead of being stationary therein as in the first embodiments. This relationship is desirable in order that the brush will not contact the stationary front nozzle wall as it rotates thereby. The movement of the brush is accomplished by providing a cam-contacting element 47 on the inner side thereof in such position that it is adapted to contact the cam 23 in 1the exact manner that the inner sides of the beater elements 31 contact that member. The brush is held in its innermost position, that position being determined either by the bottom of the brush seat or by the cam, by means of a spring 48 which is carried by a member 49 positioned on the interior of the agitator adjacent the brush seat. Spring 48 performs the same function for the brush that coil spring 33 performs for the beater element to which it is attached.

In the operation of this last described em'- bodiment of the invention as the agitator is rotated in contact with the surface covering the beater elements and the brush elements are moved radially outward relative to the agitator body as their cam-contacting -portions contact the cam face provided on the supporting shaft. 'I'he cam on the shaft is so designed that the outward radial movement of'any surface-contacting element does not begin until that element has passed by the front nozzle wall. The relationship of the nozzle wall and the agitator is such that cleaning air drawn into the nozzle by the reduced pressure existing therein is drawn under the rotating agitator to effect a maximum cleaning. The fact that the agltating elements are fithin the normal periphery of the agitator bodywhen opposite the area .of contact of that body with the nozzle wall and its seal permits a substantially air tight relationship to be obtained between the agitator and the wall resulting in substantially no leakage therebetween and a maximum air flow under the agitator which, in effect, is a rotating nozzle lip.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a rotary agitator including a surface-contacting agitating element, means to rotate said element to contact a surface covering undergoing cleaning, means mounting said element for movement perpendicular to the plane of the surface covering at the time of contact, and cooperative means to force said element on said last-mentioned means at the time of vcontact to increase the force of the beating blow.

2. In a suction cleaner, a rotary agitator including a body, means rotatably mounting said body, a surface-contacting element on said body, means mounting said element for radial movement relative thereto, and means to force said element radially outward relative to said body at the time of contact of said element with the surface covering undergoing cleaning.

3. A suction cleaner, a rotary agitator including a surface-contacting element, means rotatably supporting said element, means mounting said element for radial movement. toward and from its axis of rotation, and means to move said element radially outward during a certain arc of rotation. I

4. A suction cleaner, a rotary agitator including a surface-contacting element, means rotatably supporting' said element, means mounting said element for radial movement toward and from the axis of rotation, and means to move saidelement radially outward during a certain arc of rotation, and means to return said element to an inner position.

`5. In a suctioncleaner, a rotary agitator including an elongated body, means rotatably mounting said body, a surface-contacting element, means mounting said element for radial movement relative to said body, and means to force said element radially outward relative to said body at the time of contact of said element with the surface covering undergoing cleaning, characterized by the fact that said element extends radially beyond said body in its outermost position and is substantially within the normal contour of said body in its inner position.-

6. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a cylindrical body. a stationary shaft rotatably supporting said body, an agitating element mounted on said body for radial movement, a cam surface on said shaft, and cam-contacting means associated with said element to move said element radially upon rotation of said body.

7. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a

8. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner in-V- cluding a cylindrical body, means rotatably mounting said body, a brush mounted on said body for radial movement, means to move said brush radially outward during a certain arc of rotation of said body, and means to return said brush to its initial position. 4

9. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle, an agitator rotatably mounted in said nozzle including abody interiorly connected to atmosphere, a radially lmovable beater element mounted on said body.

said body .being provided with an opening adja-v cent said element to direct cleaning air to the point of beating, said element functioning to close said opening in certain positions, and means to actuate said element relative to said body.

10. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle,.an agitator including a body rotatably mounted in said nozzle, openingsinthe end of saidbody andintheadjacent nozzle wall interiorly connecting said agitator to atmosphere, means substantially preventing the passage of air into said nozzle at the ends of said body, a surface-contacting element seat in said body, an opening in said body at said seat connecting the interior -of said agitator with said nome, a surface-contacting element mounted in said seat'for radial movement, and means to move said element radially upon the rotation of said agitator, said element cooperating to open said opening when projecting from said to v deliver a beating blow and to close said opening when retracted into inoperative position.

l1. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle, lan agitato'r including a body rotatably mounted in said noz- Vzle, openings in the end of said body and in the adjacent nozzle wall interiorly connecting said agitator to atmosphere, openings in said body connecting the interior thereof with the nozzle,

valves to open and close said openings, and means to move said valves to open position when said openings are positioned adjacent a surface covering undergoingcleaning.

12. The construction set forth in claim 11 characterized by the fact that said valves are beater elements and deliver beating blows to the covering while being moved to open position. 4

18. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle, an agitator including a body rotatably mounted adjacent to and in sealed relation with a wall of said nozzle, an agitating element on said body adapted 'to move radially to project beyond said'body in order to agitate a surface covering or to be retracted within the normal contour of said body, and* means to actuate said element relative to said body during the rotation of the latter so that said element obtains its maximum projection when facing a surface covering undergoing cleaning and its minimum projection when facing the adjacent nozzle wall.

14. The construction set forth in claim 13 characterized by the fact that said agitating element is a rigid beating element.

15. 'I'he construction set forth in claim 13 characterized by the fact that said agitating element is a brush having flexible surface-contacting bristies.

CHARLES H. TAYLOR. 

